The present invention relates to a package for the packaging and shipment of cylindrical or polygonal bodies, in particular plastic or glass bottles for beverages, mineral water and the like.
As is known, for a proper delivery of beverages, mineral waters, wines and liquid products in general, it is very important to properly package the bottles holding these liquid products, both for facilitating the storing and shipment thereof, and for allowing the user to easily take up and transport the bottles.
Conventionally used packages for plastic bottles, provide for the use of a thermoshrinkable plastic film, which encompasses a given number of bottles arranged in an adjoining relationship in one or more parallel rows, which in turn are arranged according to an orthogonal not offset pattern.
These patterns are generally obtained by packaging either 6 or 12 bottles and, in most cases, they provide for the use of an additional tray member to be arranged under the bottom of the bottles.
These packages are moreover to be provided with at least a gripping member or handle in order to easily grip the thus formed bottle package.
Conventionally used gripping members comprise strip like gripping members which usually encompass the package encompassed by the thermoshrinkable film; such a strip, however, has the drawback that it can be removed with difficulty, since it must be cut, by scissors or the like, as the single bottles are to be used.
Other known solutions provide for the use of a gripping band which is either glued or welded to the package so as to provide a gripping handle.
While this handle can be easily removed, it has the drawback that it is not fully reliable, since it may be accidentally detached.
Another problem affecting the above mentioned gripping means is that of a comparatively high cost of the bottle encompassing thermoshrinkable film, supporting tray element and gripping handle, which adds to the bottle production cost.
Yet another drawback of the mentioned bottle packages is that related to the difficulties of disposing of the packaging plastic material, which disposal is very important from an environmental pollution standpoint.
Finally, yet another drawback of the above mentioned bottle packages is that for thermoshrinking the plastic film there are generally used heating ovens which consume a great amount of electric power.